


Cerebrum

by Call_Me_Kiba



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Coran is Allura (Voltron)'s Uncle, Coran is best uncle, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Keith (Voltron) Whump, M/M, Seizures, Sick Keith (Voltron), Team as Family, nothing graphic, supportive team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-09-05 10:48:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16809163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Call_Me_Kiba/pseuds/Call_Me_Kiba
Summary: Keith needs to stop keeping secrets.Shiro loves him all the same.Idk how else to summarize this one.





	Cerebrum

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah. Just an idea that popped into my noggin. Sorry the summary sucks I still can't get them right.
> 
> It also kinda has an open ending, but happy all the same.
> 
> Enjoy!

Keith was six when he had his first seizure. 

His father's distraught face was the first thing he saw when he woke up, terrified because wasn't he just playing by the rocks? Why was he in the hospital? The doctor, who his father seemed to know very well, told him that he had gotten a boo boo on his head (head injury, but hey. Doctors know how to talk to a six year old.) Keith had to take medication to try and help with the seizures. The determined boy would not let this keep him down! He had adventures to go on!

His father had been so proud of him. Keith was devastated when the fire took everything. The foster homes had been nice, they made sure he got his medicine. His seizures still happened, but the pills helped immensely. His last home though, wasn't so nice.

_ “You don't need these pills.” _

_ “You're just faking!” _

_ “We have other things to pay for. We can't waste our money.” _

Stingy bastards. It always made Keith wonder how anyone could think he was faking it. The seizures were terrifying, he never got used to waking up in a daze, wondering what happened or how long they lasted. As soon as he turned 18, when he was no longer a ward of the state, he moved out. A bit stupid really, unable to afford his medicine, the threat of an attack around every corner. But, somehow, by some sort of grace, he found a job at an animal shelter that had an attached coffee shop to it. Like a dog café. The owner insisted he stay in the room upstairs. Rent and utility free. Keith, having nowhere else to go, accepted.

The owner of the shop, a lively man named Coran, apparently saw potential in Keith that no one had seen in him in a very long time. His favorite dog was a big, Alaskan Malamute. She had to be kept separate from the other dogs and was not allowed into the café. Out of all the dogs though, she was the most gentle with him, despite Coran telling him how aggressive she could be.

“She just needs love and trust. She's fine.” Keith ran his fingers through her fur, giggling at how quickly her tail thumped into the wall they were resting against.

“Well, then it's only fitting that you keep her!” Coran had beamed at him.

“What? I don't- Coran the place upstairs doesn't have room for- I can't-” 

To Coran's surprise, Red (as Keith affectionately called her), wedged herself between Keith and the wall, whimpering loudly as the boy started to convulse. Coran only watched, too shocked to move. When Keith finally stilled, he groaned. Red frantically licked his face. Coran shook himself and helped Keith up gently.

“What on Earth- Keith my boy are you alright?!” Coran resisted the urge to yank the other into his arms.

“Ugh….um, what..?” Keith furrowed his brow, sputtering when Red wouldn't stop licking his face. 

“I think you had a seizure. Do you need an ambulance?” Coran searched his face, waiting for Keith to focus enough. 

Keith had assured him that it was normal. They happen. He froze when Coran asked if he had medication for it. He hadn't taken his medication in 10 years. The attacks had, thankfully, not been severe. He refused to tell Coran about that though.

He soon reasoned that Coran was a damn mind reader.

Soon after, Red went missing from the shelter. Keith was distraught, he told Coran, but the man simply kept changing the subject, saying maybe she had finally been adopted. Keith had no choice but to accept it. He couldn't keep her. 

\------------------------------------

About four months later, on his 19th birthday to be exact, Coran presented him with papers. Keith was confused, but looked them over. A service dog? Coran lead him out to the kennels, and Keith immediately started crying when Red greeted him. She had a vest and a special collar. The ginger man paid to get the dog registered for Keith. He even paid for the classes she needed to be more properly trained. He could, he could do so much more now. Keith felt his independence rising. The force he hugged Coran with surprised the man.

“Happy birthday, my boy.”

\----------------------------------

A month after, Coran helped him get his own apartment, big enough for him and Red. It turned out, the older man was very wealthy, but the café was a passion of his. Keith tried to protest, but Coran hushed him every time.

“You remind me of me niece, and I have no problems helping you when you need it Keith.”

\------------------------------

When Keith was 21, he found out that maybe, the universe wasn't out to get him.

He, quite literally, ran into Shiro at a food stand in the park. An awkward conversation after, nervous laughing, and the taller of the two invited him for coffee. When Keith told him that Red had to come with them, Shiro just smiled.

“Of course. As long as she doesn't feel like a third wheel.” he winked, and Keith couldn't help but laugh.

Shiro introduced him to his friends. Lance, who had immediately tried to claim Keith as a “rival” for some reason, balked when he finally took notice of the giant ball of fur standing protectively at Keith's side.

“What the hell?! He has a wolf?!” Lance had hidden himself behind Hunk, who just laughed at his boyfriend.

“She's a giant puppy, Lance. You don't need to be scared of her.”

Shiro asked Keith out often, always happy to see him and Red. Shiro never asked Keith why he had her, or what her vest meant. He knew that Keith needed her. So he never questioned it. After awhile, with no attack, Keith thought his problem had been fixed. Somehow, he reasoned. Maybe in the months of he and Shiro dating, his problem decided to let him go.

But, as always, the universe doesn't like it when you assume things.

They were all at Lance and Hunk's dorm, which was basically a townhouse outside of the campus. Lance had groaned when Shiro and Keith showed up with Red, but a stern look from Shiro made him stop complaining.

“Dude, your dog is getting hair everywhere.” Lance was griping again. Keith sighed, moving a piece on the game board he was playing with Pidge and Allura while the other two fixed dinner.

“Lance you know I'll vacuum before I leave. She can't help it.” he knew Lance meant well. He didn't know why he needed his dog, and to be honest, Red did shed a lot.

“Quit complaining. It's not like she chases after Blue. Red is a good girl, huh Red?” Pidge reached over and ruffled the fur between her ears. 

“It's cause Blue and Yellow are fantastic hiders! At least cats don't have that dog smell.” Lance was trying to be teasing, but Keith wasn't having it today. The pounding in his head just wouldn't give. Red began to whine.

“Lance would you jus-” Keith went still, staring off just passed Pidge.

“I was just kidding mullet! You're so sensitive!” Lance went to pat Keith on the back, but Red growled at him, moving to stand behind Keith and whimpering.

“Hey! I was just-”

“Hhnnnnnngh….”

The noise Keith made startled them. Pidge frowned, watching carefully as he continued to make the noise and slightly twitch.

“Lance, go get Shiro.”

“R-right…” as soon as Lance got up to go get Shiro, Keith pitched sideways. Red buffered his fall, her paws going right underneath Keith's head, but the way he had fallen it almost didn't help as his body seized and thrashed against the floor. 

Pidge was the first to move, shoving the table away from Keith. Lance had frozen, mouth covered with his hands.

“Allura, count how long this lasts!” Pidge shoved her hands under Keith's head, whispering to him as his limbs flailed. Her heart was skipping beats as he continued to groan and gurgle, drool began to pool under him. She barely heard Allura counting as Red scrambled away from them. Pidge could hear her barking in the kitchen. She blinked, and Shiro was next to her, looking as terrified as she felt.

“Shiro take over.” he did as he was told, putting his hands underneath his boyfriend's head as Pidge ran off to her bag.

“Shh, baby I'm here, I'm right here Keith it's ok. You're gonna be ok.” Shiro gulped, feeling ice in his veins seeing the whites of Keith's rolled back eyes.

When Pidge returned, murmuring into her phone, Keith finally stilled. Shiro continued to pet at Keith's hair and whisper soothing things to him. This had been the most horrifying two minutes of his life. Keith's breath was stuttering, but he finally managed to crack his eyes open.

“Hnngh...Sh..ro..?” Keith cleared his throat, slowly moving to sit up against Pidge's request.

“Baby, what just happened? Are you ok?” Shiro couldn't hide the panic in his voice. Though, Keith seemed to not understand why the room was so silent, and why the hell was his face covered in drool? Red whined and practically sat on him.

“Huh?” was all Keith could supply.

“What do you mean, “huh”?! You just had a fucking seizure!” Lance was being held by a very scared looking Hunk. Shiro gently framed Keith's face with his hands as he paled.

“O-oh. Um,  _ oh. _ ” he swallowed thickly. “How, how long did it last?” Shiro's jaw dropped at how  _ calm  _ Keith was being.

“Two minutes.” Allura piped up as Pidge got off the phone.

Shit. Shit that's, that's the longest one he's had in a long time. And by the look on everyone's face, it was  _ bad. _

“Sh-Shiro I'm ok. Really.” he gently moved Red to scoot closer to his boyfriend, who wrapped him up in a tight hug.

“Yeah, well, pick him up Shiro. We're taking him to my dad.” Pidge gave him a hard look, not that Keith could blame her. He and Pidge had gotten close in the short time they had known each other.

“But-”

“For fucks sake, Keith, no buts!” Pidge crossed her arms. “You just had a two minute seizure. That's nothing to just nonchalantly toss aside!”

He flinched at that, glancing at Shiro. His heart cracked at how scared the taller looked. He knew Shiro would find out sooner or later. He should have said something earlier.

He was lifted into Shiro's arms, quickly being carried to the car, the others following them in Hunk's vehicle. They arrived at Holt Memorial Hospital, which Keith vaguely remembered from his childhood.

There was already a doctor waiting for him when Shiro ran in with Red at his heels.

“You can come back with him, Shiro.” the doctor smiled when Red huffed. “She can come too.” the others, besides Pidge, stayed behind in the waiting room.

Shiro, Pidge, and Red waited in one of the rooms as Keith was taken for a scan. Shiro drummed his fingers against the counter. He was a bundle of nerves. Red pulled him from his thoughts as soon as she rested her muzzle on his leg.

“Thank you, for calling ahead.” Shiro finally found his voice, Pidge put a hand on his shoulder.

“I'm sure he will be fine. What worries me is how calm he was about it.” Pidge adjusted her glasses. She had always helped her family around the hospital, so she knew what to do when Keith started convulsing.

“I, I'm scared Pidge.” Shiro finally admitted, running his flesh hand through Red's fur. “I know we've only been dating for a few months but- god I, I love him so much. That shaved some years off my life.”

Pidge squeezed his shoulder in understanding. Things like this could be downright terrifying. Soon, Keith was wheeled in on a bed, looking grumpy if anything. They helped him sit up as Pidge's father walked in with a clipboard.

“Keith, it's good to see you! How long has it been?” Dr. Holt smiled at him, and while Pidge and Shiro looked very confused, but Keith seemed to finally put the pieces together.

“Oh, Sam. How've you been? It's been a hot minute.” he blinked, looking between Pidge and the doctor. “Oooohhhh you're his daughter! I thought you're last name sounded familiar.”

Pidge and Shiro just stared, open mouthed. Keith made to flinch, but Sam kept going.

“You haven't been in for a very long time. I was wondering what had happened to you after the fire. I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. I know it's a tad late-”

“It's fine, really.” Keith hunched his shoulders, feeling eyes burning holes into his skull.

“Well, not really fine Keith. You're meds must surely have run out, I don't see any doctor visits in your records.” Sam gave him that look his dad and Coran would give him. That disappointed dad look.

“I-I couldn't afford the medication, but I have a service dog now.” he offered weakly, gesturing to Red. 

“Keith, she can only help you so much. Your scan shows that the damage done is getting worse. Mind you, it's a slow process, but you need to be back on your medication to slow it down more.” he jotted some things down on his clipboard. “Pidge said your seizure lasted two minutes?”

“Yes.” was the tight answer from his daughter. Pidge wasn't angry, nor was Shiro, who looked stricken.

“He will be getting his meds.” was Shiro's breathless answer. Keith couldn't look at him, already ashamed for keeping this a secret.

Dr. Holt nodded, pinning Keith with a look. “We may have to start from scratch again to find the right dose. Let me get the paperwork, and you'll be good to go, son.” he left, leaving the room in silence.

“I…”

“Keith how long has this been happening?” Shiro now sat at the edge of his bed, bringing him in close and carding his hand through his hair. He felt his boyfriend tremble in his arms.

“I, I fell off some rocks when I was six...I hit my head.” he took a deep breath, pressing more into Shiro.

“And you've had seizures since?” Pidge came next to them, rubbing Keith's back gently and trying to keep Red from jumping up on the bed.

Keith nodded, pulling back enough to look Shiro in the face when he spoke.

“Baby, why don't you have your meds? Why didn't you tell me about this I would have gotten them for you.” Shiro gently cupped Keith's face again, and he nuzzled into the warm hands, feeling tears starting to form in his eyes.

“The foster family I was placed with when I was ten thought I was faking them. So they never refilled my prescription. I just...dealt.”

Shiro froze, and he had to mentally shank his growing fury.

“You don't have to deal with this alone anymore. Ok? You have me-”

“You have all of us-”

“And I'll help you get back on track, pay for your meds, appointments, whatever you need Keith.” Shiro kissed him gently, Keith leaning in. His heart fluttered.

“Oh, shit. I need to tell Lance he didn't cause this.” Keith moved to get up, but Pidge stopped him.

“Nope. Don't you dare get out of that bed. I'll tell him.” Pidge left after giving Keith a kiss on his forehead.

Keith leaned more into Shiro as they waited for Dr. Holt to come back.

“I'm sorry I didn't tell you…” Keith nuzzled his face to Shiro's neck. “I thought they had stopped.”

Shiro kissed the top of his head. “It's ok, love. But please, for the love of everything holy, don't keep things from me anymore. You scared the shit out of me.”

Keith chuckled, kissing Shiro's neck gently.

“I love you, Kashi.”


End file.
